7 indicted for illegal voting in Franklin County

A Franklin County grand jury indicted seven non-citizens Thursday for illegally registering and voting in one or more elections dating back to 2012.

Franklin County prosecutor Ron O’Brien said the secretary of state, and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation recently referred 36 cases in which non-citizens had registered and/or voted in recent elections in the county.

Seven were indicted for alleged actions in the 2012, 2015 and 2016 elections. Others who were referred were removed from the voter rolls but were not criminally charged because they checked the “no” box when asked if they were U.S. citizens.

If a person checks the citizen box "no," the county board of elections is supposed to disqualify the person's voter registration.

“These newly indicted cases are a compilation of individuals, all of whom falsely registered to vote with the Franklin County Board of Elections by declaring they were United States citizens on their voter registration applications,” O’Brien said in a statement.

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All seven were charged with at least one count of illegal voting, a fourth-degree felony. Five also were charged with false voter registration, a fifth-degree felony.

“Today’s indictments are added proof that if you cheat in Ohio elections you will be caught and held accountable," said Secretary of State Jon Husted.